The instant invention generally relates to an apparatus for storing and dispensing frozen comestibles in a freezer unit. In particular, the invention relates to an apparatus for storing and dispensing frozen comestibles which substantially isolates the comestibles in a controlled thermal environment to prevent them from thawing. The apparatus also dispenses the comestibles automatically by using handling equipment maintained at the same temperature as the comestibles in order to prevent thawing of comestibles remaining in frozen storage immediately adjacent those being dispensed during a selected dispensing cycle.
It is well known that many people today often wish to reward themselves by the small indulgence of having a high quality ice cream. The market for high quality ice creams has grown greatly in the last 15 to 20 years as a result of this increased demand. The high quality ice creams sold in this market are often made from substantially natural ingredients and often have a high butterfat content in order to provide a pleasing taste to the discriminating purchaser. These high quality ice creams are often distributed by ice cream stores in hand-packed containers, but, more recently, are being sold through mass market stores such as supermarkets and the like.
It is well known that such ice cream is typically sold in freezer units having open tops which are exposed to handling by the public. While the freezer units typically maintain their temperature at -15.degree. F. to -20.degree. F., it is apparent that, since the top is open, anyone wishing to inspect the ice cream can reach in, touch the ice cream and move it about. The person looking for a particular flavor of ice cream thus may handle a number of cartons or containers of ice cream while searching for the flavor that he or she wants. As the customers handle the ice cream, they tend to heat small portions of it which may melt and then quickly refreeze leading to deterioration in the quality of the ice cream. The relatively high temperature of the person's hand touching the ice cream is almost 100.degree. F. or higher than the temperature of the ice cream, leading to rapid heat transfer into the ice cream and sometimes localized melting. In addition, it may be appreciated that, since the prior art freezer units are not substantially enclosed, there may be temperature gradients and, if the ice cream is over-packed, there may be partial melting of the ice cream near the top of the unit. As a result of the partial melting of the ice cream, the ice cream will often later refreeze but with portions of the ice cream having stratified out of the liquid solution and with the water, upon refreezing, forming ice crystals. While this is not desirable, it may be tolerated by persons purchasing low cost ice cream on the theory that they have not spent a great deal of money. However, this is clearly unacceptable for persons spending a great deal of money for a high quality ice cream in which taste and texture are all important.
Other freezer units have been developed which dispense ice cream through front opening doors. It is clear that with these units, when the doors are open, a great deal of cold air drops out of the bottom of the door opening while warm air rushes into the upper portions of the freezer unit allowing the ice cream at the top and, in particular, the top and front of the freezer to be heated. Additionally, the ice cream is subjected to handling which may cause the ice cream to thaw. This is due to the fact that the ice cream, while having been stacked neatly to begin with, may have been moved around by the customers and become stacked haphazardly.
The same product deterioration problems may be encountered with conventional freezer units because of the manner in which they are stocked with ice cream. Typically, ice cream is packed on a refrigerated truck on skids, pallets or the like. When the ice cream is delivered to the retailer, it is unloaded from the truck and loaded by hand into conventional display type freezers. As a result of the fluctuating to which the ice cream is exposed, as well as the manual handling, the ice cream may be melted and refrozen leading to a deterioration in quality as set forth above.
A number of handling schemes have been devised for other types of products where, in particular, it is desirable to maintain the physical security of an item but allow one to receive the item through a dispenser after the product has been selected. In particular, see U.S. Pat. No. 4,789,054 to Shore, et al. for Vending Machine For Returnable Cartridges which discloses a vending machine for vending reusable articles, in this case, video cassettes and containers.
See also U.S. Pat. No. 4,812,629 to O'Neil, et al. for Method and Apparatus for Vending which also discloses a video cassette vending machine having a video cassette handling system including a storage rack 12 in which are placed video cassettes and from which they may be selected by a carrier means for carrying the video cassettes between one of the storage positions and the vend position 17. Note, in particular, that the carrier means 35 includes a vertical rod 42 and a horizontal rod 46 comprising geared racks. The carrier means 35 is operated under the control of the microprocessor system 104.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,839,505 to Bradt, et al. for Apparatus and Method for Storing and Retrieving Articles discloses a machine for dispensing rental videocassettes. The system includes a picker assembly 148 which is movable in the r, theta and z directions for selecting videocassettes from a carousel type storage arrangement.
Although the O'Neil, et al., Shore, et al. and Bradt, et al. systems include a carrier means or vending means, it may be appreciated that the environment within which the video cassettes are stored is not temperature controlled. In other words, the video cassettes are selected by the carrier means in order that inadvertent vending of a video cassette does not take place which might allow a thief to make off with the video cassette without having paid for it.
What is needed then is a storage and dispensing system for insuring that frozen comestibles, once they are to be shipped, are maintained in a temperature controlled environment to prevent them from deteriorating due to unwanted fluctuations in the temperatures to which they are exposed. The apparatus and method also should prevent the frozen comestibles from being manually handled until dispensing actually takes place, which dispensing is subsequent to a selection having been made.